STEP ONE: Gather inspiration. I'm constantly being inspired by the craftiness of Instagrammers like @elisejoy (she's done two+ Christmas quilts over the years that contributed to mine) and online quilters like Emily Dennis of the gorgeous QuiltyLove.com (her Scrappy Triangle tutorial can be found here).

STEP TWO: Buy fabrics. This required no less than a dozen trips to Joanns over the course of four weeks. This is a normal part of the process and eventually became enjoyable. If you're lucky, the employees will even begin providing feedback on your selections!

STEP THREE: Cut! Cut, and cut, and cut your fabric choices. These are the tools I used- rotary cutting set and mat and tri-tool. I tried my hardest to make the triangles as even as possible because I've learned that cutting is make it or break it for a quilt. Set yourself up for success by cutting precisely!

STEP FOUR: Layout your pieces. This took a lot of trust. Let yourself switch colors around, but eventually move on. It's easy to get stuck on this step and it doesn't serve you! If something drives you crazy later on, you can always change it's placement.

Once I decided on my final layout, I stacked the pieces to the left and sewed together in horizontal rows.

STEP FIVE: Buy more fabrics. It was tough deciding when enough was enough. I love the late addition of the silver grid fabric and can't imagine the quilt without it.

STEP SIX: Sew! Somehow I don't have any photos of this all important step. Eventually, after many hours of sewing I ended up with a completed topper! Do all my points match up exactly? Absolutely not. My favorite quilting mantra is, "Would a blind man on a galloping horse notice?" I tried to get pieces to match the best I could, but also didn't let it stop me from making the thing. I figure that practice makes better and with time I'll get better at my seams matching up. Until then, I'll keep quilting!

STEP SEVEN: Baste! I used this spray baste and a generic batting from Joanns. I used safety pins as my guide for hand quilting.

STEP EIGHT: Quilt. I hand quilted all the diagonal rows going one direction and added details to random triangles determined by color. On the darker colored fabrics, where it would show up more, I quilted the entire triangle. I love how it turned out, especially the white thread against the navy flannel of the backing.

STEP NINE: Bind. I used the black and white striped binding from SoBiased via Etsy. Many nights were spent hand binding in bed (I machine stitche the front, then hand bind the back with an invisible stitch).

STEP TEN: PHOTO SHOOT. Have a picture taking adventure with a photographer and location of your choice. I chose a nearby Christmas Tree lot with my sister. Thanks Melissa!

STEP ELEVEN: ENJOY!Snuggle up with the fruits of your labor.

STEP TWELVE: Begin dreaming about next year's quilt addition. Trees, hexies, and Christmas joy are all contenders for now.

Merry Christmas to those reading, wherever and whenever this post may find you! :)

Thanking my friends for such a perfect birthday celebration in Sacramento this past weekend. I had the best time making our way around my city with lots of quality friend time mixed in. The "Grapefruit Paloma" at The Flamingo House did not disappoint!

Feeling anxious going into the holiday season. Grief and loss affects even my best days, and mixing in the stress of the holidays feels like a perfect storm for tough emotions.

Planning my first online fundraising campaign! On the topic of grief and loss, I'm incredibly grateful for my experience with The Dinner Party and am hosting my own fundraising effort here. I'd love it if you would consider donating, or passing on the info about TDP to someone in their 20s or 30s affected by loss, in hopes that they find their way to a table some day.